Systems and Methods for Providing Image Rendering Using Variable Rate Source Sampling

1. A method of rendering visual content using variable rate source sampling and forward mapping of point samples, comprising: sampling at least one portion of a source signal at a rate that varies based on variables comprising: the frequency of the at least one portion of a source signal being sampled, such that said rate exceeds the highest frequency of the portion being sampled, wherein frequency is a measure of content variation in the at least one portion that reflects the level of detail and contrast in the portion; at least one transformation that the at least one portion of the source signal undergoes prior to rendering; and a parameter of a rendering device which renders the visual content; and based on samples generated by said sampling, displaying an image on a rendering device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: dividing said source signal into a plurality of regions; assessing that a first of said plurality of regions has a first maximum frequency component; and assessing that a second of said regions has a second maximum frequency component higher than said first frequency component; and wherein said sampling comprises: sampling said first region at a first rate; and sampling said second region at a second rate higher than said first rate.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: performing said at least one transformation on said samples subsequent to said sampling and prior to said displaying.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said displaying comprises: receiving the samples into a plurality of bins based on said samples' locations; determining at least one value for at least one bin of the plurality of bins based on at least one sample in each of the at least one bin; and setting one of the grey value and color values in accordance with said at least one value.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said sampling includes ensuring that each of said plurality of bins receives at least a predetermined minimum number of samples.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said sampling includes ensuring that each of said plurality of bins receives at least one sample.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: applying at least one texture to said source signal to create a textured source signal, wherein said source signal defines a surface to which said at least one texture is applied, and wherein said displaying is based on samples from sampling of the textured source signal.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: using a geometry map to correlate samples of said at least one texture with samples of said source signal.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the source signal is one of a surface and an image recorded on a charge coupled device (CCD).

10. At least one of an operating system, driver code, an application programming interface, a tool kit and a coprocessing device for rendering visual content using variable rate source sampling and forward mapping of point samples according to the method of claim 1 .

11. A modulated data signal carrying computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .

12. A computing device comprising means for performing the method of claim 1 .

13. A computer readable medium for rendering visual content using variable rate source sampling and forward mapping of point samples having stored thereon at least one computer-executable module comprising computer executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising: sampling at least one portion of a source signal at a rate that varies based on variables comprising: the frequency content of the at least one portion of the source signal being sampled, such that said rate exceeds the highest frequency of the portion being sampled, wherein frequency is a measure of content variation in the at least one portion that reflects the level of detail and contrast in the portion; at least one transformation that the at least one portion of the source signal undergoes prior to rendering; and a parameter of a rendering device which renders the visual content; and based on samples generated by said sampling, displaying an image on a rendering device.

14. A computer readable medium according to claim 13 , further comprising: dividing said source signal into a plurality of regions; assessing that a first of said plurality of regions has a first maximum frequency component; and assessing that a second of said regions has a second maximum frequency component higher than said first frequency component; and wherein said sampling comprises: sampling said first region at a first rate; and sampling said second region at a second rate higher than said first rate.

15. A computer readable medium according to claim 13 , further comprising: performing said at least one transformation on said samples subsequent to said sampling and prior to said displaying.

16. A computer readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein said displaying comprises: receiving the samples into a plurality of bins based on said samples' locations; determining at least one value for at least one bin of the plurality of bins based on at least one sample in each of the at least one bin; and setting one of the grey value and color values in accordance with said at least one value.

17. A computer readable medium according to claim 16 , wherein said sampling includes ensuring that each of said plurality of bins receives at least a predetermined minimum number of samples.

18. A computer readable medium according to claim 17 , wherein said sampling includes ensuring that each of said plurality of bins receives at least one sample.

19. A computer readable medium according to claim 13 , further comprising: applying at least one texture to said source signal to create a textured source signal, wherein said source signal defines a surface to which said at least one texture is applied, and wherein said displaying is based on samples from sampling of the textured source signal.

20. A computer readable medium according to claim 19 , further comprising: using a geometry map to correlate samples of said at least one texture with samples of said source signal.

21. A computer readable medium according to claim 13 , wherein the source signal is one of a surface and an image recorded on a charge coupled device (CCD).

22. A computing device for rendering visual content using variable rate source sampling and forward mapping of point samples, comprising: means for sampling at least one portion of a source signal at a rate that varies based on variables comprising: the frequency content of the at least one portion of the source signal being sampled, such that said rate exceeds the highest frequency of the portion being sampled, wherein frequency is a measure of content variation in the at least one portion that reflects the level of detail and contrast in the portion; at least one transformation that the at least one portion of the source signal undergoes prior to rendering; and a parameter of a rendering device which renders the visual content; and means for displaying an image on a rendering device based on samples generated by said sampling.

23. A computing device of claim 22 , further comprising: means for dividing said source signal into a plurality of regions; means for assessing that a first of said plurality of regions has a first maximum frequency component; and means for assessing that a second of said regions has a second maximum frequency component higher than said first frequency component; and wherein said means for sampling comprises: means for sampling said first region at a first rate; and means for sampling said second region at a second rate higher than said first rate.

24. A computing device of claim 22 , further comprising: means for performing said at least one transformation on said samples subsequent to said sampling of said means for sampling and prior to said displaying by said means for displaying.

25. A computing device of claim 22 , wherein said means for displaying comprises: means for receiving the samples into a plurality of bins based on said samples' locations; means for determining at least one value for at least one bin of the plurality of bins based on at least one sample in each of the at least one bin; and means for setting one of the grey value and color values in accordance with said at least one value.

26. A computing device of claim 25 , wherein said means for sampling includes means for ensuring that each of said plurality of bins receives at least a predetermined minimum number of samples.

27. A computing device of claim 26 , wherein said means for sampling includes means for ensuring that each of said plurality of bins receives at least one sample.

28. A computing device of claim 22 , further comprising: means for applying at least one texture to said source signal to create a textured source signal, wherein said source signal defines a surface to which said at least one texture is applied, and wherein said means for displaying displays based on samples from sampling of the textured source signal by said means for sampling.

29. A computing device of claim 28 , further comprising: means for using a geometry map to correlate samples of said at least one texture with samples of said source signal.

30. A computing device of claim 22 , wherein the source signal is one of a surface and an image recorded on a charge coupled device (CCD).